Scheduled burn to take place between August 26th and September 7th, if weather and site conditions permit
Ontario Nature is planning to do a prescribed burn on the Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve located on Pelee Island.
An alvar is an area of very thin topsoil over limestone bedrock. These conditions create a distinct ecosystem in which unique plants and animals thrive.
The Stone Road Alvar contains more than 100 rare species including the Yellow Breasted Chat, Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, Nodding Wild Onion, Grey-headed Coneflower, Miami Mist, as well as several Species at Risk including the Blue Racer and Lake Erie Water Snakes.
It is a property which is significant not just within the region but provincially and nationally.
Throughout history, fire has revitalized the alvar, keeping it open and free of shrubbery, allowing rare plants and animals to flourish. Periodic prescribed burns will provide the same results in a controlled fashion.
Approximately 11 hectares (27 acres) of the Stone Road Alvar will be burned, with the remaining lands within this 42-hectare (104 acre) property remaining untouched.
The prescribed burn will be conducted by professional staff from Lands & Forests Consulting. Previous successful prescribed burns have been conducted on the Stone Road Alvar in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2019.
This year’s burn is scheduled to take place between August 26th and September 7th if weather and site conditions permit. The entire process is expected to take about three hours and occur between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Ontario Nature staff will be present on Stone Road to answer questions on the day of the burn.
For more information, visit: ontarionature.org/stone-road-alvar